ISLAMABAD: High officials of Pakistan and Turkmenistan are set to meet next week to hold negotiations for removing all impediments and setting a timeline to kick off construction work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) pipeline project, reported The Express Tribune.
The two countries have already signed terms of the Host Government Agreement (HGA) and now they will engage in discussions on the HGA next week.
According to the report, a full version of the HGA is being developed and the agreed draft will be tabled before the cabinet for formal approval. HGA will authorise Tapi Pipeline Company Limited to implement and operate Pakistan’s segment of the pipeline project over the next 25 years.
In this regard, the government of Pakistan will give certain concessions and permission to Tapi Company including travel concessions covering visas and permits, opening a branch office in Pakistan, investment protection and facilitation.
“Critical discussions will be held whereas Pakistan has already given assurances that it will press ahead with the project,” said Inter State Gas Systems (ISGS) Managing Director Mobin Saulat.
“All impediments will be removed and timelines will be set to kick off work on the project in the wake of the visit of Turkmenistan officials.”
In order to strengthen the common understanding reached by relevant countries and to execute the project, the Inter-Governmental Agreement and Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA) were inked on December 11, 2010.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved the execution of the Tapi Shareholders Agreement as well as the Investment Agreement, by contributing 5% of the equity share to the project company, which has been incorporated by the four Tapi pipeline stakeholders, the report claimed.
